Michael Rappaport interview at Smoke Out

Ras Kass "L.A. is my Lady"

Dope Joint off of the Ras Kass album "Quarterly". Produced by Veterano

2 Turntables and a Microphone Trailer

Technics to stop production in Feb 2010 (WTF!)

"It's the end of the world as we know it"! The longest running staple of clubbing has finally come to an end. The only real DJ turntable calls it quits after dominating the DJ culture for years. Read the rest of the story
http://www.inthemix.com.au/news/intl/45075/Technics_is_dead

More Towels

I pretty much slept on this before my dude Delay put me on to it last week, but damn this a chunker. The slowed down "think" break is murderous. Some late passes are worth obtaining.

More Towels

Beanie Sigel-Think Big

The Broad Street Bully gets busy on this one verse killer and throws a jab at Sean Carter and the Memph man.

Rakim Live @ B.B. Kings 11/19

Rakim's DJ Technician gets busy, then William Griffin goes in with the Good Times break, classic shit.

Diamond Supply X Raekwon

Nick Diamond and Raekwon break down their collab shirt at the Diamond store in L.A. Be on the look out for 2010, big things poppin!

The Lessondary "Check the Rhyme 2009"

Whenever I see a remake of an old school joint, I'm always afraid to listen. It seems like it's really hit or miss. This one is real dope. It's from a crew called "The Lessondary", comprised of Tanya Morgan, Jermiside, Elucid and my homie A Brother Named George. Produced by Bidimridim, this song can be found on the upcoming ATCQ tribute from www.KevinNottingham.com
PEEP

The Friday Five: Great Guest Spots

You know what's an oxymoron these days? A hip-hop "solo" album. It damn near doesn't exist anymore. Some rapper dude will be saying, "Yeah, check for my solo album," and then you look at the track listing, and there is not one song the rapper does by himself--every track is featuring somebody else. What's the matter, kid, can't hold down a single song on your own? No. No you can't.

Of course, "featuring" doesn't always have to mean "artist can't make solo song." It can actually mean "this guest is perfect for this song." And on some occasions, it can mean "OK, so this is technically my song, but my guest star here is about to steal the show." Here are five such occasions:

1. Chubb Rock--Any non-Chubb Rock song
Wanna get murdered on your own joint? Give the Chubbster a call. Go ahead. Chubb will hand you your ass on a platter.

2. LL Cool J--"Rampage" (EPMD)
One of LL's greatest verses, and given how deep his catalog is, that's really saying something. He comes through and straight murders this cut, riding the beat to perfection the way he always does. "Sneak a peek at how I freak the notes/Major MCs become minor B-flats/So retire the mic, get your chains and your bats/Here's your chance to advance/Get in your stance/I'll shoot the holster off your cowboy pants/Pure entertainment/Tonight's your arraignment/You're guilty, face down on the pavement." Killin' it.

3. Q-Tip--"All the Way Live" (Tha Alkaholiks), "Get Down" remix (Craig Mack)
In the mid-1990s, my friends and I often discussed what we called Q-Tip Syndrome, which meant coming off harder on guest appearances than you do on your own material. These two songs were prime examples of said Syndrome.

4. Chuck D--"Tales From the Dark Side" (Ice Cube)
The collaboration that pretty much had to happen, given that Cube was still in political mode and working with the Bomb Squad. Still, Chuck fit perfectly, bending a little bit toward Cube's style (Chuck curses!) but still bringing that Public Enemy #1 heat.


5. Grand Puba--"Are You Ready?" (The Beatnuts)
"It's on, muthafucka, can't you see that?/No shame in my game, yo Doogie, where the weed at?"

Honorable mention: Bun B--"Big Pimpin'" (Jay-Z)
Just because Bun fuckin' kills it.

Dante Ross Honors ODB at Brooklyn Zoo

In honor of the five-year anniversary of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s passing this Friday (November 13), XXLMag.com took ODB’s former A&R and longtime friend Dante Ross on a field trip to the Brooklyn Zoo, located in Prospect Park, to hear his craziest memories of the beloved Wu-Tang rapper.

The first clip finds Dante explaining one particular X-rated rendezvous Dirty had during a studio session for the recording of his debut, Return to the 36 Chambers.

XXL will be dropping two more XXcLusive videos on Thursday and Friday. Be sure to check back tomorrow to find out why Dirt Dog made like Ron Browz and jumped out the window.

R.I.P. ODB

The Friday Five: The Simpsons Go to the Movies

I'll be the first to admit that the quality of The Simpsons has waxed and waned over the years (mostly waned of late), but one thing the show has always done well is fake movies. Anytime any of the Simpsons hits up the ol' Googleplex, you know you're about to see some seriously funny stuff. From the fake titles on the marquee (like you wouldn't go see Shenanigoats) to Homer putting theatre butter on his Milk Duds ("swim, my pretties"), it's a laff riot. But the best part is always when we get to see the movies the Simpsons are watching, as they are hilarious pretty much without fail. Here are my picks for the five best ones:

1. The Poke of Zorro
I damn near ruptured some internal organs the first time I saw this one. It's an incredible rip on the "historical summer blockbuster" genre, complete with horrendous anachronisms (the Scarlet Pimpernel, modern-day sarcasm, King Arthur, ninjas), and, for you freeze-frame enthusiasts, a bunch of jokes in the closing credits. Plus, the theme rap is classic material ("He's the Z to the O to the double-R O/He's the man in the mask from the barrio"). And it sets off Homer's whole "Glove slap! I don't take crap!"/"I demand satisfaction!" binge, which is great.

2. Left Below
For a while, I was a big fan of the Christian apocalypse movies because they contain everything I love about terrible low-budget action movies with a bonus heapin' helping of...how to put this delicately...batshit crazy religious fundamentalism. Left Below is so funny because it's pretty much a dead-on impression of those movies; no jokes needed to be added because the movies themselves are unintentional jokes. "I thought all religions were a path to god--I was wrong!"

3. Tango De La Muerte
This is the pick of the litter--so much incredible comedy jammed into such a small amount of time. There's Naked Gun-style stupidity ("As your wise but alcoholic dance coach, I know that somewhere your father is looking down on you and smiling. Oh, there he is!" [his father, on a balcony, smiles and gives two thumbs up]; "Only one man was crazy enough to dance that dance, and he is dead." "My twin brother, Freduardo. But where he died, I shall live...in his apartment."), an offhand dig at Millhouse ("Que malo. Once again, I must sugar my own churro."), and a dance title called "Loco Legs." And if you read this, then you are now carrying my child. How? It is the mystery of the dance.

4. Love Is Nice
A more brutally hilarious evisceration of mainstream rom-com claptrap -- and the people who lap it up -- is hard to come by:
"One groom...TWO grooms?!? But he...but you...oh, my medication"
"Radical!"
"Is that your final answer?"
Homer's lament that an IQ of 105 makes one way too intelligent for such cinematic fare is just the icing on the cake. The wedding cake, that is. For the bride (Julia Roberts) and two grooms (one of whom is a rich snob, ably played by Bill Paxton/Pullman).

5. Football in the Groin
Barney's movie had heart, but Football in the Groin had a football in the groin. The replacing of Hans Moleman with George C. Scott was an inspired casting choice.

Honorable Mention: Soccer Mummy
OK, so this is just a fake trailer, not a full-on movie, but it's an absolutely perfect rip on those kooky, krazy Disney sports movies, complete with "I Feel Good" accompanying the wacky montage. I literally laughed myself to tears at this one.

Technics x New Era

The first collaboration between TECHNICS and NEW ERA back in 2008 went so quick that it was sold out before we posted it. As luck would have it for those who missed out on this instant classic, FAMES has received a re-up shipment of these gems. This 59Fifty features a turntable embroidered on the front with the Technics logo on the vinyl with the EQ bar embroidered on the back. Available while stock lasts at FAMES.

A & E Featuring Krs-One "Pass the Mic"

Masta Ace and Edo G come together to form A & E, here's of the joints I'm digging. Produced by Double O of Kidz in the hall. Album out now!

Destruments X Verse X Oakland Faders

It goes down this weekend in Downtown Oakland at Verse Sneaker Boutique! Peep the live instrument technique of local band Destruments and Ammbush on tables.

All you VJ's, I dare you to play this.

Imagine Not Looking Any Further from Deejay Platurnipus on Vimeo.